The Benefits of Early Orthodontics Treatments

Orthodontics can help address issues with your bite and provide a variety of benefits, like improved oral hygiene, improved speech, and an improved smile. Orthodontics works best when patients are around the ages of 9 to 14. At this point, the jaw and facial structures are still developing, but most of the permanent teeth should have erupted.

Parents should take their child to an oral health professional for orthodontic screening before the age of 7. This allows for early detection of any issues that are developing, so appropriate treatments can be performed while the child’s jaw and facial structures are developing.

Benefits of starting treatment with orthodontics early on

If a malocclusion is detected during a bite analysis, the orthodontist will come up with a strategic treatment plan that addresses it. In some cases, treatment might not be needed immediately. The orthodontist might opt to monitor the child while their jaw and facial structures continue growing before making a recommendation about potential treatment options.

If the child’s bite issues require immediate treatment, the orthodontist will talk to the child and their parent about potential treatment options. Early treatment of orthodontic issues can help create enough space for teeth that have yet to erupt, it can stop developing problems, and it can guide the growth and development of facial structures. Dental issues that an orthodontist might opt to fix before all of a child’s permanent teeth have erupted include:

• Severe crowding
• Crossbites
• Underbites
• Spaces between teeth
• Missing or extra teeth
• Improper bite

Orthodontic problems can develop as a result of a child’s genetics, trauma to the face, dental disease, or habits like thumb sucking.

Treatment options

There are many ways to address bite issues early on. In some cases, an extraction might be all that is needed to stop a malocclusion from developing. Removing a tooth on a crowded jaw creates more space for the remaining teeth to grow into their proper alignment.

Appliances like braces can also be used to move the patient’s teeth. Clear aligners can get the job done, but they typically are not recommended for children because they require a level of commitment that most children cannot meet. Clear aligners need to be worn for at least 20 hours daily, and that can be challenging for a child to keep up with.

Fixed appliances, like braces, work best for children because they cannot be removed during the duration of treatment. Regardless of what option the orthodontist recommends, treating orthodontic issues early on typically leads to more effective and shorter treatment times.